It's never too late to start planning for college

By: Encarnita Pyle

The Columbus Dispatch - November 21, 2012 12:23 PM

Soon-to-be college students and your parents, if you have any questions about planning for
college, picking a career or paying for school the state has a new web site just for you:
OhioMeansSuccess.org.

"Whether you are completing a one-year, two-year or four-year degree or certificate,
OhioMeansSuccess can help you find a faster, more efficient path to completion that will save money
and start you on your way to a promising career,"
Ohio Board of RegentsChancellor Jim
Petro said in a recent statement.

Why create the site? Because most of the fastest-growing occupations require at least a
bachelor's degree, Petro said, but Ohio remains in the bottom quarter of states in the number of
adults with four-year degrees. And that has to change if the state wants to be competitive, he
said. By 2018, nearly one million jobs will open up in Ohio that require at least college
credential, according to a Georgetown University study, which is one reason the state has
put such a premium on graduating more students.

The web site has tons of information to help students find out what careers appeal to them
and what programs are available at Ohio schools that cater to those careers. Students can also
compare schools that meet their personal interests and needs, find out about how to transfer
credits between schools and review financial-aid options. Veterans can also identify ways in which
their military training might count as college credit.